The present invention generally relates to furniture structures and, more particularly, to a mechanically retractable furniture unit.
The trend of so-called urban flight has reversed itself in the last twenty years, with individuals and families moving back into urban areas from the suburbs and beyond. Most major cities have enjoyed something of a renaissance as long-neglected downtown districts have been revitalized and commercialized. In short, the American city is being celebrated with great vigor by those who only a few decades ago were fleeing it in droves. Washington, D.C., for example, has seen its xe2x80x9cold downtownxe2x80x9d area redeveloped and its population has spiked over the last decade. New York City, the jurisdiction some considered xe2x80x9cungovernablexe2x80x9d only twenty years ago, has enjoyed a spectacular resurgence as the financial and cultural capital of urban America.
The back-to-the-city trend has been facilitated by redevelopment to accommodate new residentsxe2x80x94some individuals, some couples, and some families. In some cases, former commercial districts have been mixed with residential construction. In some cases, manufacturing or similar commercial structures have been converted into trendy apartments, condominiums, or co-opts. That being said, space is still a premium in urban environments and many residents find it a challenge to comfortably furnish their dwellings with the space available. This issue can be critical in small apartments, such as studio apartments.
A variety of design trends and systems have been developed as a result of the space issue in urban residential dwellings. For example, lofts which provide an elevated area for a bed or couch are found in some apartments. Futons function as a (typically uncomfortable) bed when folded out and as a (typically unglamorous) couch when folded up. Convertible sofas provide improved functionality and aesthetics by also providing a bed in one configuration and a sofa in another. The prior art has also produced beds which fold up into the wall.
Each of these prior art approaches to the space problem has its drawbacks. Typical lofts obviously require special construction. This can entail significant cost. Also, many average sized rooms are simply not big enough to accommodate a loft.
Futons provide limited functionality and comfort as a bed. As the typical person who has spent more than a few weeks sleeping on a futon can attest, sleeping on a futon is simply not the same experience as sleeping on a standard construction full-size bed.
Beds that fold up or pivot into the wall are an improvement, but a fair amount of horizontal space is sacrificed. The two or three feet that must be given up may be significant, even intolerable, in apartments have rooms with tight dimensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,989 to Garcia discloses a retractable bed that folds up into a false ceiling. The Garcia approach requires a complex folding structure with at least two pivot points that requires the use of a non-standard bed. Also, because the Garcia system requires rotation about two axes to open the bed, it is not readily amenable to an automated mechanism for opening and closing this complex structure.
Other drawbacks and disadvantages exist in the prior art.
According to one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a retractable bed that can be automatically raised and lowered in a vertical fashion. The retractable bed includes a frame for holding a mattress; and means for raising and lowering said bed through vertical displacement, such as one or more motors. When the bed is in the lowered configuration it will come into contact with the floor thereby permitting a person to sleep on the bed. When the bed is in the raised configuration it will be near the ceiling thereby permitting a person to pass under the bed. The means for raising and lowering said bed, such as one or more motors, provides an automated and convenient way to take the bed down and to put it away.
According to one further aspect of the invention, the retractable bed uses a motor that is fixably situated away from the bed. In this embodiment, the motor is controlled to move the bed up and down while the motor remains stationary.
According to another aspect of the invention, the retractable bed uses a motor, preferably two motors, that are integrated with or coupled to the bed/frame. In this embodiment, the motor(s) is controlled to move the bed up and down, the motor(s) moving with the bed.
Other embodiment, variations, and enhancements are disclosed.
The advantages of the present invention are numerous. The invention greatly mitigates the space problem in dwellings with small rooms, allowing the resident to take full advantage of the available area of the room during the day. The invention does not require complex, non-standard structures. In fact, standard frames/mattresses can accommodate the invention. The solution provided by the invention is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to address the space problem presented by dwellings with small rooms.
It is another object of the invention to provide a bed that can be automatically taken out when it is needed and put away when it is not needed.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a retractable bed that readily accommodates standard frames and bed sizes.
These and other objects of the invention are addressed by the written description and figures contained herein.